Mineral Carbonation as the Core of an Industrial Symbiosis for Energy‐Intensive Minerals Conversion

Abstract

Summary The longer term sustainability of the minerals sector may hinge, in large part, on finding innovative solutions to the challenges of energy intensity and carbon dioxide (CO2) management. This article outlines the need for large‐scale “carbon solutions” that might be shared by several colocated energy‐intensive and carbon‐intensive industries. In particular, it explores the potential for situating a mineral carbonation plant as a carbon sink at the heart of a minerals and energy complex to form an industrial symbiosis. Several resource‐intensive industries can be integrated synergistically in this way, to enable a complex that produces energy and mineral products with low net CO2 emissions. An illustrative hypothetical case study of such a system within New South Wales, Australia, has been constructed, on the basis of material and energy flows derived from Aspen modeling of a serpentine carbonation process. The synergies and added value created have the potential to significantly offset the energy and emission penalties and direct costs of CO2 capture and storage. This suggests that greenfield minerals beneficiation and metals refining plants should consider closer integration with the power production and energy provision plants on which they depend, together with a carbon solution, such as mineral carbonation, as a critical element of such integration. Other sustainability considerations are highlighted.

Improving the CO2 performance of cement, part III: the relevance of industrial symbiosis and how to measure its impact

“…Such a development is very much in line with the key ideas of industrial ecology and industrial symbiosis, meaning that it appears highly relevant for the cement industry to move further in this direction, as illustrated in Figure 7, being an important actor or even an anchor tenant in industrial symbiosis networks. Brent et al (2012) provide interesting input on a more radical development, where the need for large-scale "carbon solutions" could induce new or developed symbiosis options for the cement industry, where the most energy-intensive and carbon-intensive industries could be co-located. When discussing clinker substitution it is essential to acknowledge that it affects the characteristics of the cement.…”

“…Such articles provide information about existing or possible synergies and show that the cement industry can serve as an anchor tenant in industrial symbiosis networks (cf. Brent et al, 2012). A large part of the general industrial symbiosis literature has emphasized exchange of resources such as byproducts/wastes and energy across industries in geographical proximity (Chertow, 2000).…”

An evaluation of ex situ, industrial-scale, aqueous CO2 mineralization

“…For example, recent studies, such as those by Krevor and Lackner (2011) and Baldyga et al (2010), have identified weak acids that enhance the dissolution of natural silicate minerals and could potentially improve reaction rates. Brent et al (2011) propose the integration of mineral carbonation with power generation and other extraction/manufacturing processes involving magnesium silicates, such as the extraction of magnetite, nickel, and chromium from serpentine. This type of synergistic approach offers the potential to offset the energy penalty and costs associated with mineral carbonation using naturally occurring minerals.…”

Exploring Space, Exploiting Opportunities

“…With regard to abiotic materials, Brent and colleagues () have called for large‐scale “carbon solutions” that include colocated industries. They recognize that an efficient solution requires a proximate location of sources and sink.…”

“…This may comprise the design of new processes to mitigate environmental harm, for example, the sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) (Brent et al. ). The different sources and sinks are linked through networks of actors that could be spatially analyzed explicitly in order to close loops (Lyons et al.…”